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We assayed 38 middle ear effusions from 23 children aged 4-13 years (mean 7) undergoing tympanostomy tube placements. All fluid was assayed for tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha, interleukin (IL) 1beta, IL-8, and IL-10. Cytokine concentrations were measured by means of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Detectable levels of IL-1beta, IL-8, and IL-10 were found in all of the effusions. TNF-alpha was detected in 18 of the middle ear effusions (47.4%). The mean concentration of TNF-alpha, IL-1beta , IL-8, and IL-10 was, respectively, 0.423 +/- 1.39, 30.58 +/- 68.7, 7001.9 +/- 6743, and 56 +/- 58.7 pg/ml. There was a strong, statistically significant correlation between the concentrations of TNF-alpha and IL-1beta (r = 0.87, P = 0.001) and between IL-1beta and IL-8 (r = 0.53, P = 0.001). There was no correlation between the concentrations of IL-10 and other cytokines examined or between tympanic membrane pathology and the concentrations of TNF-alpha, IL-1beta , IL-8, or IL-10. The presence of IL-10 in middle ear effusions may be one of the causes of a lack of clinical features of acute inflammation and may lead to a chronic inflammatory state.

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The results of this study indicate local regulation of the lymphocyte profile in middle ear effusions and the same phase of immune response in two ears of the same patient.

The hypertrophic adenoid may promote chronic suppurative otitis media in children as it fulfills its immune function. The number of lymphocytes in the adenoid and their cooperation in the immune response depend of on their proliferation and migration to the effector sites. Interleukin 7 (IL-7) is essential for the normal development and function lymphocytes. IL-7 plays pivotal role for activation and proliferation of T and B cells. The heterodimeric interleukin-7 receptor (IL-7R) is composed of the IL-7Rα (127) and the common cytokine receptor γc (CD132). The aim of this study was to evaluate the percentage of lymphocytes T (CD4+ and CD8+) with IL-7R (CD127 and CD132) expression in hypertrophic adenoid in children suffering with otitis media with effusion for a duration of 3 months. Adenoid excised due to hypertrophy with or without chronic otitis media with effusion was used as study material. CD4+ CD127+, CD4+132+, CD8+CD127+ and CD8+CD132+ cell subpopulations were identified using monoclonal antibodies and flow cytometry. The percentage of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells with CD127 receptor expression in hypertrophic adenoid of children with otitis media with effusion was statistically significantly higher than in hypertrophic adenoid group. The percentage of CD4+ T cells with CD132 expression in the study group was statistically significantly higher than in the reference group. The percentage of CD8+ T cells with CD132+ expression was not statistically different in both groups. The increased percentage of T lymphocytes with IL-7R expression (CD127 and CD132) in hypertrophic adenoid seems to influence the quantity of lymphocytes and upset the immunological function of tonsils which can influence the course of otitis media with effusion.

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